Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,836 in Kristianstad versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,794 in Kristianstad versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,752 in Kristianstad versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kristianstad is roughly 45% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kristianstad is 37% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 SEK 136

$11.87 MX$204

22.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 SEK 680

$42.90 MX$736

69.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 SEK 100

$10.65 MX$183

0.38%

Cappuccino

$4.76 SEK 44.65

$3.45 MX$59.2

37.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 SEK 26.29

$1.50 MX$25.81

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.38

$0.95 MX$16.28

162.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 SEK 74.3

$3.03 MX$51.9

161.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 SEK 68.8

$4.61 MX$79.1

59.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 SEK 20.30

$1.38 MX$23.61

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$1.85 MX$31.70

56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 36.73

$1.61 MX$27.65

143.48%

Eggs

$4.20 SEK 39.36

$2.59 MX$44.51

62.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 SEK 115

$8.26 MX$142

48.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 110

$8.37 MX$144

40.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 160

$10.66 MX$183

59.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.04

$2.63 MX$45.12

17.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.53

$1.49 MX$25.53

75.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 28.81

$1.92 MX$32.94

59.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 41.68

$2.09 MX$35.81

112.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.22

$1.86 MX$31.88

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.20

$2.26 MX$38.81

-19.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 SEK 23.75

$1.06 MX$18.23

138.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.67

$1.09 MX$18.67

43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SEK 70.4

$4.15 MX$71.2

80.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 SEK 95.6

$10.39 MX$178

-1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.06

$1.72 MX$29.59

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.37

$2.61 MX$44.85

-24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.35 SEK 31.39

$0.54 MX$9.30

520.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 SEK 686

$26.94 MX$462

171.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 SEK 57.6

$3.13 MX$53.7

96.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.76

$2.51 MX$43.09

-37.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 SEK 585

$3.15 MX$54.1

1880.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.32

$1.27 MX$21.88

53.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.3K SEK 302.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

6.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.6K SEK 315.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

42.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 SEK 1,064

$83.0 MX$1,425

36.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.45 SEK 267

$22.71 MX$390

25.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.32 SEK 341

$29.46 MX$506

23.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 SEK 384

$51.0 MX$875

-19.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.47 SEK 239

$18.33 MX$315

38.95%

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 SEK 150

$4.93 MX$84.5

223.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$147 SEK 1,376

$197 MX$3,386

-25.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,211 SEK 39.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-20.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.8 SEK 890

$36.90 MX$633

156.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 SEK 384

$39.89 MX$685

2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 SEK 916

$80.0 MX$1,373

22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,438

$89.5 MX$1,536

71.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 SEK 7,567

$956 MX$16.4K

-15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,227

$477 MX$8,189

39.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 SEK 12.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 SEK 10.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,120 SEK 38.6K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

5.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,831 SEK 26.6K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-56.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,690 SEK 25.2K

$667 MX$11.4K

303.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kristianstad: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $807 in Kristianstad and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 303% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Kristianstad vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kristianstad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kristianstad pays 303% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $807 in Kristianstad versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,836 per month in Kristianstad versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 172% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,836 in Kristianstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristianstad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kristianstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.